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Claim: A Facebook user shared a picture of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, in a post linking him to the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) and alleging that the Council rejected an investigation into the controversy involving Senator Shehu Buba Umar, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District.
Verdict: False. There is no credible evidence that the Sultan of Sokoto made or endorsed the statement attributed to him. The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria is also a separate organisation from the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, which the Sultan leads.
Full Text
On Sept. 3, 2026, a Facebook user, Plateau Update, alleged in a post (archived here) that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, had rejected an investigation into the recent controversy involving Shehu Buba Umar, Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, regarding sponsorship of banditry in Nigeria.
The caption partly reads, “The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), operating under the Sultan of Sokoto, has rejected the Department of State Services (DSS) move to investigate Senator Shehu Buba Umar over alleged links to criminal activities. Reacting to the Council’s position, the Hausa Native Advancement and Development Initiative (HANADI) stressed that no individual should be shielded from lawful investigation because of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation. It urged the SCSN to allow the relevant authorities to carry out their constitutional responsibilities and establish the facts through due process”.
As of Sept. 9, 2026, the post had gained 781 reactions, 1,100 comments, and 254 shares.
Several Facebook users criticised or supported the claim in the comments.
One user, Adeoye Opeyemi, wrote, “The message is very clear; the insecurity in the country should be traced to them.”
Adeniyi Abdulrasheed wrote, “No wonder the Hassan guy said the senator has a godfather that is very powerful in Nigeria, and what does that suggest to every discerning mind?”
Other users, like Tamuno K Abelekum, expressed scepticism about the claim, “Who else also noticed that the letter is dated 6th October, 2024?”
Given that the claim tends to undermine public trust in traditional rulers in Northwestern Nigeria, DUBAWA decided to verify it.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted keyword searches for the alleged statement and found no credible evidence linking the Sultan of Sokoto to the position attributed to him in the Facebook post.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, is the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and serves as Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
However, DUBAWA found that the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) is a separate organisation. Its current president is Sheikh Dr Bashir Aliyu Umar.
This phrase, in the Facebook post, “operating under the Sultan of Sokoto,” creates the impression that the SCSN statement had the Sultan’s support; this is not the case. The organisation led by the Sultan is different from the SCSN.
Meanwhile, the statement listed the names of the SCSN leaders and made no mention of the monarch.
DUBAWA also contacted the Sultan’s Palace Media Officer, Aminu Haliru, who said, “I don’t have any knowledge concerning this issue. I just heard it from you.”
This response does not, by itself, prove that the Sultan had no knowledge of the matter at any point. However, it refutes the claim that the Sultan endorsed the statement attributed to him.
DUBAWA observed that the statement attached to the post was issued in October 2024.
What did the SCSN actually say about Senator Shehu Buba?
DUBAWA also examined reports concerning the SCSN’s position on the allegations against Senator Shehu Buba.
Evidence shows the SCSN previously defended Senator Buba when similar allegations emerged in 2024. However, its position changed following the renewed allegations in 2026.
On Sept. 7, 2026, the SCSN issued a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Nafiu Baba Ahmad, calling for an independent investigation into the allegations against Senator Buba.
The Council urged the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to clarify their previous engagements with Senator Buba and conduct a thorough, independent investigation into the renewed allegations.
It said the allegations had potentially far-reaching national security implications and that the relevant authorities should establish the facts.
This contradicts the impression created by the Facebook post that the SCSN was opposed to an investigation.
Conclusion
The claim that the Sultan of Sokoto rejected an investigation into the controversy involving Senator Shehu Buba Umar is false.
This fellowship is implemented by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) with support from the European Union.